In application Ser. No. 447,823 filed Mar. 4, 1974, now abandoned, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, a railway car truck is disclosed having a rigid H frame which is sprung at the journal boxes with resilient devices. The weight of the vehicle body is taken generally at the center of the side frames. A transverse member is provided which is torsionally flexible and in which the shear center is preferably spaced from the neutral axis of the transverse member so that longitudinal loads taken by the center connection between the vehicle body and the transverse member will not introduce substantial torsional loads into the transverse member.
This truck does demonstrate improved riding characteristics including reduced hunting, reduced rock and roll, and improved rough track negotiability (it maintains the wheels on the track a greater percent of the time over rough track).
However, this truck is significantly more expensive than conventional trucks commercially available.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a railway truck having the above improved riding characteristics (reduced hunting, reduced rock and roll and improved rough track negotiability) at a cost which is competitive with the standard commercially available railway freight car trucks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a truck which, if desired, may be fabricated from formed plates, or from castings, or from both, depending upon the relative availability of castings and plate.
Other objects will be apparent from the following description and drawings.